Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Staying Healthy While on Vacation

Two things that seem to happen to a lot of people every summer: vacation and exercise. I've been working out and partaking in summer vacations (South Africa anyone?) as well. But it can be hard to maintain your diet healthy eating while also keeping up with exercise when you're trying to relax on a beach, take a city tour or just visit friends and family. Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy while on vacation so your holiday still feels like a holiday, and you don't come back home having gained all the weight it just took months to lose.

Foods to EatProtein Bars - try ones like this Quinoa Apricot bar with under 200 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein | Also dig Fig Almond bars that you can make ahead and snack on during your trip.

Fruit Gummies - these might sound weird at first, but these Watermelon Gummies are a great way to get in your fruit without the mess. It's a lot easier to carry these in your mini satchel on vacay than an actual watermelon. | They are healthier than gummies found in the processed food aisle because they're made from real watermelon and the only sugar added is honey (optional). They also provide amino acids!

Brown Rice Cakes- the only thing healthier than a rice cake is a Brown Rice Cake | It's full of vitamins, calcium and iron. Plus, all you have to do to burn off rice cake calories is watch TV for 30 minutes or take a five-minute walk.

Frozen Edamame- just defrost and add a touch of salt for delicious Frozen Edamame. You don't need to go to a restaurant for this healthy soybean snack | A cup of them is about 130 calories with 6 grams of fiber.

Shrimp Cocktail - I love seafood, especially when I can eat it without a care in the world like Shrimp Cocktail | Five pieces is about 100 calories with under 10 grams of carbs--that's just amazing.

Skinny Latte- we all know that you can find a coffee shop on just about any street corner in the world. When your caffeine craving kicks in, opt for a Skinny Latte | I like to get the caramel flavor in a tall size as I find that's all the coffee I need. Skinny means non-fat or with skim milk and sugar-free syrup, so you're saving on calories and splurging on taste | 90 calories, 9 grams of protein and 30% of your daily calcium

Other great options: | turkey jerky | yogurt | egg whites & whole wheat toast | seared tuna, avocado salad |Exercise to CompleteWalk Around - If you'll be in a new city and you want to explore, then try walking around from museum to museum and cafe to cafe. Big cities are practically made for walking and can be less stressful than taxi rides.

Utilize Hotel Gym - Take advantage of your hotel stay and use the gym, which is usually equipped with the proper cardio machines and free weights. But you can even workout in your room with simple yoga or one of the many Pinterest exercises. A few hotels even offer stay fit kits that are sent to your room, complete with yoga mats, workout videos and an MP3 player loaded with motivational music.

Local Physical Activity - If you're going to a cold place then consider skiing or snowboarding. A beach resort? Try surfing or paddle boarding. A place with a lot of mountains? Enjoy the scenery with a hike or bike ride. Emerge yourself in the culture through local physical activity.